Chables o



(No Model.)

C. 0. WILDER.

ART OP MAKING METALLIC WHEELS.

N0. 286,754. Patented Oct. 16, 1883.

NrrEn STATES PATENT OEEicE.

CHARLES O. VILDEB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NORTH- VESTERN STFELEVI-IEEL COMPANQOF SAME PLACE.

ART oF MAKING METALLIC WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION arming imi; o f Letters Patent No. 286,754, dated oetober 16, 1888.

Application filed August 11, 18h13. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. WIEDER,

' ofthe city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Staggered-Spokcd Metallic Wheels, of which the following is the specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the iigures.

My invention relates to that class of metallic wheelswhich are formed by castingthe hub onto the inner ends of the spokes,which have previously been placed in the rim in the hereinafter-described manner, and has for its object the utilizing of the shrinkage of the hub in cooling for the purpose of tightening the spokes, and I accomplish this in the following manner.

Referring tothe drawings, Figure l represents a section of a machine which Iemployin the manufacture of wheels by my improved method. Fig. 2 represents an'elevation of the ilask used for casting the hub, showing the cope A, cheek B, and drag C. Fig. 3 showsa plan view of the drag C. Fig. 4 represents a plan View of the drag C and a section of the hub, with the spokes Gf G G, &c., in position. Fig. 5 is a section of the hub fr, a spoke, G, and a segment of the rim H, showing the relative positions ofthe rim H and the head z of the spoke G before casting.

In making metallic wheels bymy improved method I use the machine shown in Fi l as a matter oi" convenience only, and do not regard it as essentiaLto the successful practice of my invention. The said machine consists of an annular plate, L, having inserted through it at regular intervals, equal in number to the spokes of the wheel to be formed, the cranklevers J, each of which is attached to and operated by the foot-lever O in the manner shown inthe figure.

K is a circular plate hung below the open central part of the annular plate L, and supports the flask A B C, in which is molded in the usual manner the hub D ofthe wheel.

The iask is insured a proper position on the plate K by means of the lugs on the bottom of With spoke-holes, corresponding in number with the spokes, drilled through and countersunk on the outside, as shown in Fig. 5. The rim H is placed in such a position on the plate L that the holes therein will be a little to one side of the corresponding lever, J the purpose of which will be seen presently. I next insert through eachalternate hole in the rim, and can do so by reason of its being to one side of the levers J, the spokes G G, &c., each oi' which is provided on its outer end with the rivet-head The inner ends I lay in the semicircular openings T in the drag. I next place on the drag C the cheek B, havinginits under edge the semicircular openings T T, &c., to correspond with those of the drag C, andhaving on its npper edge, at equal intervals between the openings T T, the openings T TT. The check B being in position, I insert the remainder of the spokes, and place in position the core F and the cope A. The construction of the flask andthe molding of the hub are of the usual method.

The leading feature of my invention is here Vhen I `pass the spokes G- G, &c., through the rim Hinto the mold of the hub, I leave between the head .c of the spoke and the bottom of the countersink in the rim a small space, the object of which is to allowLfor the drawing inward of the spokes, due tonthe shrinkage of the hub, which always takes place when cooling. lThis space should be one-half the shrinkage of the hub, and in wheels of the ordinary size for use on cultivators should be about one sixty-fourth of an inch. .I maintain this space during the casting of the hub by inserting therein a small piece of tin or other metal, as shown inFig. 5 at Q. I now pour the hub, and when the metal has become set I withdraw the pieces of metal Q, and the shrinkage of the metal due to cooling draws the heads z of the spokes G firmly down into the countersinks in the rim, making the wheel eX- tremely rm. By this means I makea strong and durable wheel, simple in construction, and free from any necessity of tightening the spokes by bolts or otherwise.

I do not confine myself to the particular method above described of maintaining` the space between the countersink and the head of the spoke during the process of pouring the hub, but,if I desire,I mayinsert asmall ring of soft metal, to be squeezed out by the draw due to the shrinkage; or I may dispense entirely with any such mechanical means and simply lay the spokes inthe proper position.

In manufacturing wheels by my improved method I usually prepare a large number of the wheels, rims, and molds before commenc- 20 ing to cast.

I do not claim the machine herein shown, the same having been described in my application for Letters Patent No. 102,967, filed August 6, 1883.

W'hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

That improvement in the art of manufacturheaded spokes through the rim, with their heads outside of and apart from the rim, and

then casting the hub upon the spokes, whereby in the cooling of the hub the shrinkage is utilized to draw tight the spokes, substantially as shown7 and for thc purposes described.

orillnrns o. WILDER.

' YVitncsses: Y

WM. BUCK'INGHAM, T. J. RODMIN.

ing metallic wheels which consists in placing 

